


a hot distraction

by zaatannaz



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, College, F/F, Roommates, flustered zatanna + post workout artemis, m u s c l e s, oh my god they were roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2019-04-03 22:01:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14005740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zaatannaz/pseuds/zaatannaz
Summary: ~ in which artemis gets back to the dorm after hitting the gym and zatanna thinks she looks like a snack. // snaibsel; (college) roommates au. ~drabble





	a hot distraction

**Author's Note:**

  * For [flashhwing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flashhwing/gifts).



> written from a prompt on my tumblr; requested by the lovely [ash](http://acegraysons.tumblr.com/)  
> hope it's okay, a rare lighthearted drabble from myself.  
> i've been SO off my writing game, so i'm easing back in.  
> enjoy.

Zatanna was having a truly, lousy time concentrating.

Printed papers, chunky textbooks and sticky notes were strewn about her, surrounding her in a circle of work and stationary that seemed as if she was trying to summon the god of academia, which honestly, Zatanna thought she could use right now.

Her philosophy paper due date loomed; only twenty four hours left until submission, and then it was back to revising Italian history for Monday’s two hour exam. It was moment’s like this that she questioned her decision to even do a joint degree; it was her father that encouraged her, encouraged her to enrich her learning; if only he knew the struggle of essay deadlines. She felt like she was drowning.

She had read _so_ many words and wrote _so_ many sentences, letters blurred into one and she could almost hear her brain sizzle and pop as it fried itself, concentrating on the information it processed as her eyes skimmed the pages of her books.

It was her own fault, she had nobody else to blame. She had gone out to a campus party a couple of nights ago with a friend, and celebrated her first month of surviving college with cheap wine and vodka, cheesy pop and r&b tunes, and as much food as she could stomach. Suffice to say, she had spent the next day, quietly recovering in bed, in low light with plenty of ibuprofen. Of course, until she remembered the two thousand word paper she had to conjure up to present to her lecturer two days later.

She’d been sloppy this week, she knew this and accepted it, remembering that there were people much worse in college. It had been her first and only night out, and maybe she should cut herself some slack, the first year was always an adjustment right?

So she slaved away at her essay, grateful that her roommate was currently out. She shared her space with Artemis Crock, biology and literature major and fitness enthusiast. They’d only been sharing the dorm for a month now, but Zatanna was terribly impressed with Artemis’ talent of being disciplined enough to stick to a schedule, a routine; she knew it almost by heart. Every morning, Artemis will spend an hour in the gym, on Monday’s, Thursdays and Friday’s at five, if she didn’t have class, she’d head out to her archery training or martial arts, if she did, she’d be back in the gym later that evening for another hour. On Saturday’s, she played soccer from ten until twelve in the afternoon.

Of course, Zatanna told herself she had this memorized because they’re roommates, and not because she was totally infatuated with the blonde girl. Crush at first sight, she thought of it.

She remembered her first night in her dorm, after her father had dropped her off, and she met Artemis, who had already been there a night longer. She had insisted she help unpack, and Zatanna accepted.

_“How are you finding your first night?” Artemis had asked her. Zatanna nodded._

_“Really good. Different but good. How about you?” A little nervous as she replied._

_“It’s my second night but, it seems to be getting better. My roommate moved in and she’s like, super pretty so, it should be a good year,” Artemis had smiled up at her with a little smirk. Zatanna couldn’t help the soft smile she returned to Artemis, and how her heart seemed to jump momentarily. After a pause, they continued unpacking and Zatanna’s heart felt a little warmer._

“I’m procrastinating,” Zatanna mumbled to herself as she took a breath refocusing herself and taking herself out of her thoughts. She picked up her pen to start writing notes in her work journal, trying not to use her cursive writing because she’ll only have trouble reading them later.

“And we wouldn’t want that would we Zanna?” She spoke to herself again, writing facts about her argument and reason module onto the faded lines of the page, so focused that she didn’t even realised the girl walking into the room, eyebrow raised as she watched the smaller girl frantically writing on the bed.

“What wouldn’t we want?” She asked, and Zatanna snapped her head up, quickly looking at the girl.

Artemis had walked in the room, throwing her rucksack on the floor, jangling the keys as she threw them into their shared key bowl. Zatanna shrugged, as her eyes followed the girl as she walked into the centre of the room.

“Oh, just, revision stuff. Did you have a good time at archery?” She asked her. Artemis shook her head a little.

“Oh no, archery was cancelled so I went to the gym. Nice workout, just what I needed, but I’m so ridiculously hot,” Artemis told her, and she moved her hands to the hem of her gym vest, and lifted it over her head. Zatanna looked over to the girl to reply, before her brain seemingly shut down.

Artemis was glowing; she stood there in her sports bra and her gym leggings. There was a sheen of sweat about her body and Zatanna watched with her mouth, slightly ajar, eyes wide as Artemis grabbed her water bottle from the bed, and took a long sip. 

Zatanna felt…a way.

She could feel her cheeks and her body warm as she noticed the way Artemis’ arms rippled with muscle, as she bought it down to place her water bottle on her desk, defined and strong, years of nocking arrows and lifting weights. Her gaze lowered, noticing how her chest heaved with heavy breaths, and she noticed the stray beads of sweat trickling over the ripples of her abs, taut; the v shape lines of her hips, defined. Zatanna knew Artemis was a built girl, not a sliver of fat on her body, and defined muscles that you could see through her turtlenecks and t-shirts, but she’d never really seen or rather, taken in, how absolutely exquisite her body actually is.

Zatanna’s breath hitched and she almost choked on air, clearing her throat as she bit her lip tried to stop her mind creating lascivious thoughts. She cursed herself internally for acting like a lovestruck high school girl but, god, she couldn’t get over how good Artemis looked.

“How’s studying?” Artemis asked, as she picked up her phone to look at it.

Zatanna shook her head, taking herself out of her thoughts to answer Artemis, who was now looking right at her.

“It’s hard…I mean…it’s hard to think straight...” Zatanna blinked, her words fumbled, her voice faltering in embarrassment. Freud would be having a field day, she thought to herself. “I’m struggling, a little bit…” Zatanna was finally happy with her answer and she threw her pen back onto the bed. Artemis nodded.

“I mean, an Italian Philosophy joint degree doesn’t sound the easiest,” Artemis flopped down on her bed. “But you’re doing good. I can help if you want I mean, I can try,” Artemis offered. Zatanna watched as Artemis stretched her arms out and laid back on the bed, eyes glossed over with a soft rose blush on her cheeks. She then shook her head.

“I’m just gonna head to the library, see if there’s any books that I’ve missed.” Zatanna stood, straightening out her white summer dress, as she started gathering her books into a pile and closing her laptop lid. Her voice was sheepish because she knew there was literally no way she’d get any work done, or have a clear mind with Artemis lazing around, glorious muscles on display.

“I haven’t disturbed you have I?” Artemis asked, sitting up, sounding genuinely concerned as she watched Zatanna grab her black slouch bag, and start filling it with papers and stationary alike.

“No no, honestly I just…I think I need more books,” Zatanna gave a lame excuse as she threw her bag over her shoulder as strode toward the door. God, she was so embarrassed of herself, and she prayed Artemis wouldn’t catch on.

’“I can give you a hand..?” Artemis called to her, as she stood up to follow, feeling a little guilty. Artemis could tell Zatanna was a little troubled, but of course she would be, Artemis knew deadlines weren’t fun.  


“That would be nice but…” Zatanna paused, fumbling over her words again, rolling her eyes after noticing another Freudian slip. She mentally stomped her foot as she subconsciously told herself off for not getting it together. “I’m good. Thank you anyway, Arty, I’ll leave you to shower or something…see you later!” 

Zatanna couldn’t get out the door fast enough, as she felt her crush for the blonde girl grow tenfold. Flustered and giddy, she made her way to the library.

**Author's Note:**

> hope this was alright, even though my writing was a little weak!  
> thank you!


End file.
